The Wolf Prince
by nerdy12
Summary: A night of feasting and a night of terror. A young girl and her mother are nearly eaten by beasts. They are spared when the beast finds himself interested in the young child. He steals her away, but for what purpose? I do not own Inuasha or its characters. Adult content
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One**

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Billions of stars illuminated the sky on the cold winter day. Beautiful swirls of color glided over the air, dancing in the cold, clear sky around the tallest mountain in the area. Just above the mountain, a glowing full moon shone. It was beautiful… and yet only one of the villagers was admiring the beauty, a young girl no more than three years old.

"Kagome! Foolish girl, hurry back inside!" a shrill voice came. The girl turned at the sound of her mother's voice. Her mother stood at the door to their small hut, her eyes filled with fear and worry. "Quickly, before they come!" Kagome didn't quite know what her mother was talking about, but she knew it was important to her mother. The young girl trotted over to her mother, reaching her just as low howls reached her ears. Before the young girl could turn to try and locate the sounds, her mother roughly pulled her inside and slammed the door shut.

But it was already too late. They had caught their scent. They had located their village. There was nothing they could do now.

The howling came closer and closer with every passing minute. Kagome's mother huddled in the corner of their hut with her, the farthest corner from the door. Luckily their little hut was further away from the village, tucked behind some trees. Hopefully they wouldn't notice their little hut, and would focus their attention on the main part of the village. Kagome's mother covered her child's ears when the sounds of growls and screams reached them. Kagome just looked up at her mother. She'd never seen her so afraid. The woman was shaking and crying.

They stayed that way for nearly an hour. Soon enough the sounds died down. Perhaps they had moved on. Perhaps they had eaten their fill and were leaving. But they couldn't have been that lucky… and they weren't. Just as Kagome's mother started to relax, a low growl filled the air. It was so close to their little hut, the creature had to be standing right next to it. Kagome's mother stifled a scream, but the creature still heard her. It let loose a roar as be barged into the hut, breaking down the door.

Kagome stared up in awe at the beast. It looked like a wolf but it stood like a man. It's dark brown fur looked soft and warm, yet the claws on his hand and the teeth in its snarling mouth looked like they would tear her to pieces if she dared attempt to touch his fur. Then she noticed the tail… oh, she found herself wanting to play with that tail, pet it and snuggle it.

The young girl didn't even know how much danger she was in right now. She never seemed to notice when she was in danger. Something always distracted her from the danger… and it gave her the appearance of being a fearless child, even though she was honestly just very easily distracted.

Kagome's mother let out a scream upon seeing the beast. She moved Kagome behind her in protection. The movement made the beast become aware of Kagome's presence. The young girl had been so silent and still that he'd not even noticed her, while her mother he had seen right away. The child did not act like a normal human child. He smelled no fear on her, only curiosity. He saw her staring at him from behind her mother, and he noticed she was interested in his tail the most. How amusing. It wasn't often that humans amused him, and it was never to the extent that this girl did. He looked her over, what he could see while she was behind her mother. She was a beautiful little girl, and he knew she would be gorgeous as an adult.

He grinned, though it looked more like a snarl, and approached the pair. He reached for the girl but her mother foolishly attacked him in an effort to protect her child. He just swiped at her, knocking her across the room and rendering her unconscious. The child just blinked up at him. She'd been too distracted by his furry tail to even know that her mother was no longer in front of her. The beast finally saw the girl fully. She was small and very young, but her body looked malnourished, as did her mother's. Seeing as their hut was further from the village, it was likely they were outcasts, and probably ate like such… poorly. He would see to change that, at least for the child.

The beast flicked his tail purposefully, grinning when she watched it in awe. "Would you like to touch it, young one?" his voice was deep and gravelly. The girl nodded absentmindedly and he let her approach him to touch his tail. He grinned as she snuggled the appendage, burying her face in it. He let her play for a minute, and then he grabbed her by the back of her ragged dress, lifting her so that she was up in front of his face. "What is your name, child?" he asked.

"Kagome." Her voice was soft but held no fear. The beast grinned at her.

"I am Kouga." He introduced as he moved to cradle the small child in his arms. The girl snuggled against his soft fur, letting out a small yawn. She'd never been awake this late, and she was sleepy. Sensing no danger, as usual, the girl quickly fell asleep in the beast's arms, much to his amusement. He decided he would keep the child. With that in mind, he turned and left the hut. It was nearly daybreak, after all. Time to return home.

The beast, Kouga, let out a loud howl, calling his pack to him. They gathered around him quickly, many of their snouts and claws soaked in blood from their feast. He snarled at them. Many of them had passed his limitations. It was to be one human per hut, and no children were to be eaten. It was the only way the village could repopulate after their feasts every ten years. A few of his clan tended to go overboard, especially when the humans gathered up the courage to defend themselves. Those who disobeyed his limitations would be punished later. Right now it was time to return to their haven at the top of the mountain. Their night of feasting was over.

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Hi there. I'm Everythingnerd12. Nice to meet you. I'm pretty new to this site, but a friend recommended it to me, so here I am. Hope you enjoy my story, and thanks for reading.

Peace out!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

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They ran through the forest as a pack of beasts, Kouga leading the tribe through the trees. As they arrived at the top of the mountain the sun rose into the sky, causing the entire pack to shift back into their true forms. They were wolf demons, not werewolves like the humans believed. Werewolves couldn't hold a match to them.

Werewolves were nothing more than cursed humans, who lost their sanity every full moon and killed without prejudice. Wolf yokai, however, were always wolf yokai, even in their beast form under the full moon. They always retained their knowledge and never lost control. They fed selectively, so as not to wipe out their entire food supply. There were ten villages surrounding the base of their mountain, and they fed from a different one each year, with strict rules.

Only one human per hut, half of the pack could eat men and half could eat women. No children were to be eaten. No pregnant women, either. That left all the children in the village, along with several adults who could later mate and have more children. And they always did. Usually the grief of losing their spouse made the humans couple together with a neighbor or friend, and then have more children. And by the time the wolf yokai returned after ten years, the children from before were now adults and having children of their own.

Kouga looked around at his pack now. They were finally at their haven, a large system of caves and ruins that gave them shelter and sanctuary. The young girl was still in his arms, sleeping, and many of his pack were looking at her curiously. He snarled at them when they came too close.

"Listen up ya mangy mutts." He growled. "The child is under my protection. Nobody is to harm her in any way, or even go near her without my permission. Anyone who touches her will be killed by me. Ya got that?!" His pack nodded in agreement and any of them scampered off after that, returning to their own cave where their mates and children were waiting.

Kouga shook his head and looked down at the girl in his arms. She was still asleep. He carried her towards the caves, searching for a particular wolf yokai he had in mind. He found the woman he was looking for with little effort. She was washing her and her mate's clothes by the waterfall with a few other females.

"Ayumi." Kouga called, getting her attention. The redheaded wolf looked up at the pack leader and smiled.

"Hello, Kouga. What can I do for you?" she smiled pleasantly at him. Then she noticed the human child and looked at her with curiosity.

"Ayumi, I need you to raise this child." Kouga told her. "Her name is Kagome. Teach her the ways of the wolf tribe. Help her become part of the pack, and prepare her to be my woman."

"Eh? You've chosen this human child as your mate?" Ayumi asked with wide eyes.

"My beast calls to her. She is not afraid of me, and my beast urges me to mate her already." Kouga explained. "She is young, young enough to easily learn our ways and young enough to possibly forget she is even human. She will forget about her human mother, and she will come to view you as her mother. You do want children, yes?" he raised an eyebrow at her. Ayumi looked down at her lap. This was possibly her only chance to have a child, as she was infertile due to a rare yokai sickness many years ago. Both she and her mate longed for a child, but they had long since accepted that they would not have one.

"Yes. I will talk to Togi." Ayumi agreed, reaching out to accept the small child that Kouga handed to her. He knew he could trust Ayumi and her mate. Not only did they want a child of their own, but they also did not view humans as inferior worms like the rest of his pack did. Ayumi and Togi knew how intelligent humans could be, while the rest of the pack, save Kouga and a few others, only viewed humans as food.

Ayumi stared down at the young girl that was now her daughter. She was a beautiful little girl, with long black hair pulled into a braid behind her. She wore ragged clothes, but Ayumi would make her some new fur clothes to help her blend into the pack. She was confident she could teach this human how to be yokai, especially since the child was so young. She was at an age where she could be easily swayed and maneuvered into being exactly what they wanted. This child would be as close to a yokai as she possibly could be by the time Ayumi was done with her.

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Hello again. Hope you enjoyed. Peace~

Everythingnerd12


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

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Kagome lightly walked through the cave system, a bounce in her step. Her feet were light on the ground, nearly silent. Even yokai sometimes had trouble hearing her footsteps, much to Ayumi's pleasure. It meant Ayumi had trained Kagome well in the ways of being yokai. She had even gone so far as to sharpen Kagome's canines, ears, and fingernails, with her permission of course, to look more like those of a yokai's teeth, ears, and claws.

The young woman paused, hearing movement up ahead. She sniffed the air. It took years of training and a few potions to make Kagome's nose and ears almost as sharp as a wolf's. Kagome smiled a fanged smile when she recognized the scent as her pack leader's. She lightly trotted in his direction, her bare feet barely making a noise on the cool cave ground. She peeked around a corner and spotted Kouga, blushing at what she found. He was changing his clothing, and she'd caught him fully nude.

He was gorgeous. Rippling muscles under tanned skin flowed throughout his body. His long black hair was pulled back in his usual ponytail. Even so it hung halfway down his back. Kagome's eyes followed the trail of hair down to tight, firm buttocks that made her blush. And then she let her eyes go to his tail, the dark brown appendage that was so irresistibly soft and fluffy. She watched as he dressed himself in a fresh set of armor and furs, and she squeaked in surprise when he glanced back at her and gave her a fanged smirk. She'd been caught. Red faced with embarrassment, she fled the scene, hearing Kouga chuckle as she ran away.

Her senses were indeed nearly as good as a wolf's. But Kouga's senses were even stronger than a normal wolf's. He'd heard her coming from a good distance and decided to give her a show, grinning to himself when he felt her eyes on him as he changed. He glanced over at the girl that was just barely old enough to be a woman, and he smirked at her. Her face was bright red and he could smell her arousal from where he stood. Good. She found him attractive, if nothing else.

Kagome had been with the tribe for twelve years. She was fifteen now, and developing rather nicely into a woman. In a few more years she would be gorgeous. She already had the eye of every non-mated male in his pack. The only reason she was not yet taken was because Kouga had claimed her for himself.

She was doing well in the pack. She enjoyed it here, and was accepted. Many of the pack had forgotten that she was even human, and those that hadn't forgotten were surprised at how much like a yokai she acted. She often went hunting with the other females, and killed just as much as the others did, though she used a knife rather than claws. Even still, her skill was impressive. Kouga was proud of what the woman had become. Were she not still so young, she would have been mated to him already.

Kouga sighed as he finished dressing. Just a few more years.

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"Kagome!" Ayumi called out for her adopted daughter. She smiled when the young woman appeared quickly.

"Yes, mama?" Kagome asked, cocking her head to one side curiously.

"Lord Kouga has come to visit you, dear." Ayumi smiled, looking to their pack leader who sat across the cave room from her. Kagome blushed and bowed respectfully to her pack leader. She had not forgotten the incident from a few days ago, when he'd caught her watching him change. Kouga had not forgotten, either. Were he younger he would have teased her constantly about it.

"Good evening, Kagome." Kouga smiled at the young woman, looking her over. She looked good in the furs of his clan. She looked like one of them. Her wild hair was pulled up into a ponytail, strands of it falling around her face. Like the rest of the clan, she was bare foot, her human feet calloused from years of use, much like any wolf yokai's feet. Being human, she had no tail... but that was not a key feature of wolf yokai as only the strong could have tails in their human forms. Her blue eyes shone brightly with life and innocence, but at the same time held a fire and the predatory look that wolves were known for. From the outside looking in, Kagome was for all intents and purposes a yokai.

"Good evening, Lord Kouga." Kagome bowed. She felt his eyes on her and she blushed again. "To what do I owe the honor?"

"Tonight is the winter solstice." Kouga said simply. That statement explained everything. The winter solstice was when the males went down to the human villages to feed, along with any female that had come of age that year. Kagome knew she was now of age. She was to join them in the hunt... and the feast.

It didn't bother her. She had long forgotten that she was human. Ayumi had taken advantage of Kagome's young age and reminded her non stop that she was a wolf yokai. Her idea that she was ever human was silly, the imaginings of a child with too much time on her hands. Kagome had even imagined a different mother?! Ayumi had acted hurt at this and had gone off to 'cry' when Kagome revealed this to her. With Kagome's age making her easy to influence, she quickly believed Ayumi's lies, much to both Ayumi's and Kouga's relief. Making Kagome think she was a yokai would make it easier for her in the long run. It certainly helped that female wolf yokai were very similar to humans, and that they could not transform like their male counterparts. It only sealed in the lie, preventing Kagome from questioning why she couldn't transform like everyone else.

"Ah. I am to accompany you, then?" Kagome asked, looking up at her intended mate. Kouga nodded curtly. This night would be the final test. Would Ayumi's twelve year training pay off or would Kagome find herself unable to fully accept the yokai ways. Tonight she would have to kill and eat at least part of a human. Kouga was aware that humans considered cannibalism taboo, however wolf yokai did not.

If a wolf was hungry and found a dead wolf it would eat the dead wolf. If a wolf was hungry and there was another wolf that was weaker than the first, the first wolf would kill and eat the second to survive. Wolf yokai were more... sophisticated. Cannibalism only occurred in times of hardship. The weak and sickly would be killed to nourish the strong, allowing the strong to continue the bloodline of the pack.

Tonight would be the real test of Kagome's nature. Had she fully accepted the yokai ways? Was she ready to become a permanent member of the pack? Would she prove herself worthy of being Kouga's mate. If she failed this test tonight, Kouga would have wasted twelve years on nothing... and he would kill her for it. He didn't want it to come to that, as he was rather fond of the girl. She was a spitfire, yet she was so sweet and wise beyond her years at the same time. However, if she disappointed him, if she proved to him that she had only wasted his time, he would not hesitate to kill her. Such was the yokai way. Anything not worthy of his time, he would kill.

"Do you think she is ready, Ayumi?" Kouga asked Kagome's 'mother.'

"She is as ready as I can make her, Kouga." Ayumi nodded. Then she looked at her 'daughter.' "Kagome, remember. Humans are dangerous creatures. If you give them any openings they will kill you. You have to kill them before they kill you. Lord Kouga will accompany you, but he will not protect you. This night is about proving your worth to the clan. Many who come of age do not return from their first hunt." Ayumi reminded her. She had been preparing Kagome for this night for a long time. Kagome just nodded, understanding. She had watched several of the pack's young go on their first hunt and never return. And it was not always because a human managed to kill them.

If a wolf did not prove its value to the pack, it was killed. And it was always the alpha who made the kill.

Kagome glanced at Kouga now. If she did not kill a human this night, he would kill her. She knew that. All the young ones going on their first hunt knew that. It was the way things worked. It was how the pack stayed strong. If they killed off the weak, only the strong remained.

"I am ready, my alpha." Kagome told Kouga with a bow. He smiled lightly. She knew the consequences of this night, as did all the young ones.

Many had backed out of their first hunt, wanting to wait another season. It was an acceptable thing to do if one did not think they were strong enough yet. But you could only back out once. The next year you either went, or the alpha would kill you regardless. Nobody dared back out twice, so far, and Kouga had not had to kill a young one in front of its family thus far, but it had happened in his father's time and it would eventually happen in Kouga's time.

Kagome, however, was not even backing out of her first time. She was showing her bravery and courage, as well as her belief in herself. She thought she was strong enough to go on her first hunt, and her determination impressed Kouga.

"Very well. Meet us by the waterfall at sunset. Three more young ones are coming along, so you will not be alone." Kouga told her. He looked at Ayumi and she nodded knowingly at his look. She glanced at her daughter, a little nervous. Many mothers feared the day of their child's first hunt. Ayumi was not fearful. She knew how strong Kagome was. Still, it was hard to shake the nervousness and the question of... what if?

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moshi moshi! Once again, thanks for reading. You can comment. Or not. I don't really care. If you like it, tell me. If not, keep it to yourself and find something else to read.

laters~

Everythingnerd12


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

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Kagome looked around the pack that would be going on tonight's hunt. The experienced males had already transformed under the Winter Solstice's light. The younger males had not yet reached full maturity and had not yet experienced their first transformation. Kagome looked at the three other young ones that she would be with. Two males and a female. she recognized the female, as she lived about two caves over from Kagome's family. Sylvia, if she remembered the name correctly. They hadn't talked much, just in passing or while cleaning clothes at the waterfall with the other females.

The two males she did not know. They must be from further down the mountain, in the cave systems near the base. That was where the scouts and their families lived, along with the pack of normal wolves that tended to hand around them. One of the males looked slightly familiar. She must have passed by him and his home when she went hunting with her mother and a few other females. The other one she had no clue. Kouga's pack was very large, after all. There was no way she was going to know everybody.

All eyes turned to Kouga as he approached the waterfall, staying in his normal form. Many of the older males looked at him curiously. Why was he not transformed? Certainly their pack leader would be going on the hunt with them, right?

"Alright, ya hungry beasts. We got some young ones going with us this time." Kouga said when he finally reached the pack. "I'm going to have my hands full watching the young ones, so I won't be eating tonight. Might as well stay like this." He said, motioning to his body. His perfect body... Kagome found herself fighting off a blush at that thought. Kouga smirked at the pack, revealing one fang.

"Time to go a hunting!" he announced before letting out a loud howl that echoed around the mountain. Everyone else followed suit, even Kagome. When your pack leader howled, you howled. Over the years Kagome had mastered her howl, making it sound so much like a wolf's that even the elders were impressed. Everything about her screamed wolf, that they could not deny. She blended in so well and accepted their customs so easily that even the elders had accepted her as pack. Tonight, however was the final test. Should she return successful, there would never be any doubt about her place in the pack.

Kouga sent the rest of the pack ahead, staying behind with the young ones. He looked them over with a fanged smirk. "Alright. I know you guys know how this is going to work, but I will explain it one more time. We are going to the village directly to the south. When we get there I will assign every wolf a target. Only one human per hut may be killed, and only one human per wolf. No children, and no pregnant women. Defy those rules and you will be punished." he explained with authority. "This village is pretty large, so there's less worry about competition among your brethren, which is good for you young ones. You all know that if you do not kill a human this night you will not be returning home. You guys got lucky at getting a larger village. Many aren't so lucky." He turned to the females now. "Ladies, you can't eat as much as we males. Don't worry about eating the humans you kill. As long as you eat part of them you'll be accepted, and the older males will finish them off for you." Kagome and Sylvia nodded at this. Kagome had been worried about that. She'd never been able to eat quite as much as the others, even among the females. She assumed she just had a small stomach.

"You guys ready for this?" Kouga finally asked. When everyone nodded he grinned. "Then lets go. Follow me."

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"Male, female, male, male, female, male, male..." Kouga walked down the line of wolves, pointing to each one as he assigned their target. He assigned fewer females than males, mostly because the chance of a female being pregnant this time of year was high. It was winter, after all, and the humans were cooped up in their huts all day. Kagome got male, not surprising. Sylvia got female and the two young males each got male. Finally everyone had their target. They all stared down at the village eagerly, waiting for Kouga's word.

"Hunt!" he growled, releasing another howl. They all howled with him, and then ran towards the village at full speed. Kouga kept an eye on all the young ones, Kagome in particular. The young ones almost always went for the huts one the outskirts of the villages, and this was true tonight as well. It was acceptable for their first hunt. Target the isolated homes, away from competition and away from other humans that might try to fight back.

Right off the bat a young one was injured. The male had been too rash, charging into the home without a thought. One of the humans stabbed him with a pitchfork, embedding the tool into the welp's stomach. Kouga heard the pained yelp from where he was further up the mountain. He sighed. Great, now the humans knew they could hurt them. It gave the rest of the village hope, that pained wolf-like yelp. True enough, in the main village there were more humans fighting back. Facing matured wolf yokai, however, they stood no chance.

The female youngling, Sylvia, was the next to be reckless. She was more cautious than the first, but inexperienced in hand-to-hand combat. When she saw the human male in her chosen hut with a weapon she should have moved on to the next hut. Instead she attempted to fight the human, who was armed with a sword. She gave a good effort, but she lost in the end... beheaded.

Kouga turned his eyes to Kagome now. Two young ones were down already, and the night had just begun. He hoped Kagome wouldn't prove a failure. He saw her sneaking around a hut further from the village. She peeked through the windows, going without notice thanks to the dark of night and the darkness of her hair. She had her daggers out, one in each hand, as she circled the hut and gauged weather she could handle it. A woman and two children. No male. She moved on. That hut would have been perfect were she assigned a female, but she needed to kill a male to prove herself worthy.

The pack leader grinned as he watched the young female. She acted like a seasoned hunter. Kouga moved to watch her from a closer distance. She was circling another hut on the outskirts of town. A man and his pregnant wife were inside. Kagome grinned, the man was unarmed and all she could see of a weapon in the hut was probably the shovel. The man was clearly a farmer, and a poorly fed one. What food he managed to grow or buy went to his pregnant wife, it seemed. What an honorable human. kagome was almost saddened that she would have to kill him. Almost.

Kouga watched as she planned her next move. The couple was huddled in a corner of the hut, much like Kagome and her mother had been when Kouga had found her. Kagome easily broke the lock on the door and entered the hut. A few screams later and all was silent. The man was dead, his throat sliced open and blood gushing from the wound. His wife was covered in his blood, too horrified to even scream as she watched Kagome take a bite of the man, ripping his flesh with her sharpened teeth. The human woman soon passed out from the sheer horror as Kagome ate what she could of the male. Kagome found she didn't quite like the taste of human. She by far preferred deer or pig. But that wasn't unusual for female wolf yokai. They were not the ones who needed the nourishment of humans, after all. It was the males who needed the nourishment to gain strength.

Kouga entered the hut as Kagome sat back. She couldn't eat anymore. She'd barely made a dent in the human's arm. The young woman was covered in the blood of her prey, most of the blood around her mouth. Kouga grinned down at her, he was proud. He pulled Kagome up off the floor, smiling when she did not resist him. She had known he was there from the start. He turned her around and looked at her, Kami, she was beautiful, covered in blood as the light of the full moon shone down on her. He couldn't help but kiss her, grinning at her startled gasp. Kagome had not seen that coming. She stiffened at his kiss, and then melted into it. It felt... wonderful...

"You will make a fine mate." Kouga growled against her lips after several long moments. "If you were not so young I would take you here, next to your first kill." He stepped back and stared down at her, his eyes burning into her and making her melt. It was only when another pained yelp came from the village that Kouga turned away from her. The other young one had fallen, as well. Probably did the same thing the first one did. Kagome would be the only one returning tonight. "Return to the meeting place. There should be a few others there by now. I will finish off your kill and meet you there." Kagome nodded and left, vanishing into the forest surrounding the village. Her first hunt was a success...

As the sun rose above the mountain, a group of wolf yokai waited eagerly for their mates and young ones to return. Kouga led his pack home, Kagome walking right behind him with the rest of the pack further back. Ayumi hurried to Kagome, embracing the young woman happily, smiling in joy and pride that her daughter returned successful. When the rest of the pack appeared there were several sorrowful howls let out. Mothers and fathers grieving over the young ones that had failed their task. Three families would not be joining the celebrations this night.

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heyo~ another chapter up. youre welcome. next chapter is what you're all waiting for...

I decided to take a look at hentai porn to maybe get an idea for when kouga and kagome mate. Its not for me... O.O i was not prepared for it...

I will use my own fantasies and experiences instead...

anyways, comment if you liked it.

sayonara~ Everythingnerd12


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5. Courting.

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Kagome laughed happily as she danced around the bonfire along with several other young females. This was a night of celebration and feasting. A young one had matured and passed her rite of passage. Kagome was now fully considered an adult by wolf standards. It was a joyous day, despite the deaths of the other three younglings who were too weak to pass their trials.

Kouga watched the young human woman intently as she danced beneath the light of the full moon, her visage aglow with the firelight. She spun around, her hair wiping around her face. She was smiling brightly and laughing as a wolf yokai cracked a joke at her while they danced. Kagome suddenly blushed at something the female said, and her eyes drifted over to Kouga. They locked eyes and her blush deepened. Kouga smirked, they must have been talking about their future mating.

"So, alpha... when are you gonna mate my daughter?" Kouga looked up as Togi sat down beside him. He smirked at his friend and Kagome's adopted father.

"She's still fairly young. I've decided to court her first, use that to let her age one more season." he almost laughed at Togi's shocked expression.

"Seriously, alpha? I mean, she is of age, after all, and you know how, erm, fragile humans can be. Even with the pack protecting her, she's gone through her share of human sicknesses. There's no telling what the future will bring her." Togi rubbed the back of his head, watching his daughter dance. He was worried about her, and always would be. No matter how much she acted like a yokai... she was still only human. A human that stole his heart the moment she called him papa. A human he saw as his very own pup. "Look, all I'm saying is the sooner you mate her the better. I've heard rumors of yokai mating humans, and the humans apparently gain the strength and life span of their mates. I just... want to protect my pup."

"I know all that, Togi. You have nothing to fear." Kouga slapped his friend's back with a laugh. "You worry too much, my friend. Tonight we should be celebrating. Your daughter is officially one of us now. Pack, blood, family! Raise your glass to that!" Kouga cheered as he stood, holding up a glass of sake. Others around him heard his words and cheered, lifting their own glasses. Soon it was going around the pack, everyone being handed sake and lifting their glasses in cheers. Tonight was the winter solstice and a young one had become an adult. Tonight was a night of celebration and merriment! Howls soon began to echo throughout the mountain, even Kagome joined in, howling at the top of her lungs. Kouga grinned as he watched his intended celebrate as a shewolf should, and then he threw back his head and let out his own howl.

* * *

Kagome awoke with a groan. Her head was throbbing and her body ached. She slowly sat up, taking in her surroundings. She was in her family's cave, sleeping on her bed of furs. The stench of alcohol, sweat, and sex filled the air. Glancing over to her parents she saw they were unclothed beneath their blanket. Her parents must have rutted last night after the festivities were over and she'd fallen asleep. She shrugged, it wasn't unusual to her. But the smell of it accompanied with her hangover was unpleasant. She had to leave the cave.

Ten minutes later found Kagome sitting by a small fire with several other women, eating some meat and rice for breakfast. An elder shewolf seemed to notice Kagome's throbbing headache and hangover, for she soon handed the younger woman a pungent smelling tea. Kagome recognized the smell of herbs in the tea and she smiled her thanks to the elder before quickly downing the bitter brew. It took a few minutes but she soon began to recover from the previous night's festivities.

"There you are." a familiar baritone filled Kagome's ears. She turned to see Kouga approaching the group of women, and his eyes locked with hers. She blushed lightly at the sexy fanged smirk he gave her. "You weren't at your den. I take it the hangover didn't mix well with the smell in there?" he laughed as Kagome's blush deepened.

"Yes. I had to get out of there." Kagome said, rubbing the back of her head, something she'd picked up from her father. "Would you like to eat, alpha? I can fix you up a bowl if you'd like."

"I've already eaten, but thank you." he smiled kindly at his intended. "But I needed to speak with you, Kagome. Finish eating, then meet me at the waterfall." Kagome barely had a chance to nod before he hurried off, running after some brawling idiots not far off. She turned back to eat and blushed when all the women were giving her knowing looks.

"W-what?"

"Alpha's going to ask you to mate him." one of the younger ones teased, making Kagome blush further.

"Hush, Naomi, you silly child." her mother laughed lightly. "You'll make the poor girl faint."

"I-it's not true, a-anyways." Kagome murmured. "He says I'm still too young. He told me so himself."

"Nonsense, you're an adult now. He has every right to mate you if he desires. What does age matter?" an older woman chuckled. "He likely said that as an excuse."

"Excuse?" Kagome questioned.

"Alpha has honor." another woman smiled. "He wants to mate you properly. If he found himself in a position where he wanted to mate you in an improper way, he likely would have said that as an excuse."

"What was going on when he told you that, Kagome?" Kagome looked up as her mother's voice came now. She turned to see her mother approaching the small group, sitting down and helping herself to a bowl of rice.

"Um, well, it was after my first kill, last night." Kagome blushed and looked down at her food. "He... kissed me and said that if I weren't so young he would mate me right there." Oh, her face had never been so red in her life. The other women chuckled softly at her discomfort.

"Oh, dear, sounds like a blood lust to me." Ayumi chuckled at her daughter. "All the blood around you two, plus seeing his intended after a fresh kill, probably triggered his base instincts. You're lucky alpha has such good control over himself. Were it any other wolf you would have mated last night, weather you wanted it or not." The other women nodded in agreement.

"That's how my mate took me. But then again, that's exactly how I wanted it." one woman said, holding her face to her hand as she sighed dreamily. "Oh, what a night that was."

"But, mother, I am an adult now. Why did he stop himself?" Kagome questioned. "I've known I was to be his mate since I was a child. I wouldn't have minded..."

"Like I said, alpha has honor. He wants to mate you properly." the woman from earlier said with determination.

"I probably shouldn't be telling you this, dear, but last night he spoke to your father about courting you before you two mate." Ayumi smiled sweetly at her daughter.

"Do you think that's why he wants to talk to me?" Kagome asked, receiving unanimous nods from all the women around her. She blushed again and looked down at her lap once more. "I suppose I should be going, then." She put her bowl down and stood, dusting herself off.

"Good luck, dear." Ayumi smiled as Kagome walked off. "Remember, you have to make him prove himself worthy to mate you."

"Ayumi, I do think being alpha has already proven his worth..." the women's conversation faded as Kagome left the area. She headed for the waterfall, her heart racing and her cheeks red. She found Kouga sitting by the stream next to the waterfall. Blushing, she sat down next to him, keeping a respectable distance from her alpha. He silently motioned her closer, and she moved closer to him, until their knees were touching.

"Did you enjoy yourself last night?" Kouga spoke first, giving her a gentle smile. "Your first time celebrating like an adult."

"Yes." Kagome smiled back. "I've never had so much fun in my life." Kouga chuckled softly.

"You were very beautiful last night, Kagome, dancing under the full moon like that." his words made her blush and he smiled at that. "You're always beautiful, Kagome. My Kagome." He reached out and gently caressed her cheek.

"Thank you, alpha." Kagome said through her blush. She looked up into his eyes and nearly melted. His eyes were so captivating.

"You're of age to take a mate now, Kagome." he suddenly said, smiling as her blush went a shade darker. She was so cute. "You know you are my intended, I don't have to say that." Kagome nodded at this. She'd always known, it was never kept from her. From the first time she could remember anything she'd been groomed to be the alpha's mate. "Were I a less honorable wolf I would simply tell you that we would mate this night. But I have honor. So, instead, I am asking you, Kagome. Will you court me? Will you allow me to prove myself worthy of mating with you?"

"I... of course, my alpha. I would be more than honored to court you." Kagome said quietly. The women were right, at least about one thing. Kouga had honor enough for fifty demons. She knew that. But what he'd said last night about her age, she was still uncertain if he truly meant that or if he was just trying to prevent himself from taking her against her will.

Kouga smiled brightly at the young woman beside him. He knew she would agree, of course, but that didn't make him any less happy. He quickly pulled out a small parcel from his pelt, handing it to a blushing Kagome. "My courting gift, Kagome. I hope you like it." he smiled, urging her to open the parcel. She nodded and opened it, smiling beautifully as a necklace was revealed to her eyes. It was made of silver and sapphire, and it was so beautiful. Kagome happily put the necklace around her neck, admiring it more once it was on.

"It's beautiful. Thank you." she smiled at her alpha. Kouga just smiled back.

"Only the best for my woman." he grinned. Then he reached out and grabbed Kagome, pulling her onto his lap as she let out a surprised squeak. She blushed furiously as he rubbed his cheeks against her cheeks, and then her neck and hair. He was scent marking her, so all would know that she was courting him. His scent would linger on her until she bathed, and then he would scent mark her again and again, until they were mated. Once they mated there would be no need for the marking, as his scent would always be on her, no matter how long they were apart. Kouga finally released the flustered woman, but not before he stole a kiss from her lips. He then brought them both to their feet, and he caressed her cheek again. "Now, run along, Kagome. I have to go on patrol, but I will see you again tonight." Kagome nodded and did as told, hurrying back to the group of women she'd left, a blush now permanently staining her cheeks.

They smelled her before they saw her. Kagome was not surprised to see knowing grins among the women as she approached the fire. They had smelled Kouga's scent all over her even from a distance, and they all knew what that meant. As Kagome sat down next to her mother, they all stared at her, waiting eagerly. She took a deep breath and, looking down at her lap, she spoke.

"He asked me to court him and I agreed." Kagome breathed. The younger women squealed with joy while the older women just smiled in amusement.

"What did he give you?" it was her mother who spoke first, eager to see what Kouga had chosen for a courting gift. Kagome gently held up the necklace for all of them to see. Another round of happy squeals and light chuckles. "It's beautiful, Kagome. I'm so happy for you. Soon you'll be mated to our alpha and I will finally have some grand-pups running around wreaking havoc." Ayumi had hearts in her eyes at the thought of grand-pups, which made Kagome blush. She hadn't even thought about children. She knew she would have them with Kouga, it was expected of the alpha's mate, after all, but it wasn't something she'd put much thought into.

"Oh, this is so exciting. There hasn't been a real courtship around here in ages." one of the older women smiled happily.

"Um, come to think about it..." Kagome glanced at her mother. "I-I don't really know what to do in a courtship, mother. I... we both always thought alpha would just mate me when he felt it was the right time." she said with a blush.

"Yes, well, we didn't really expect him to court you first." her mother agreed. She looked around at the older women and they all shared a knowing glance and a nod. "Alright, listen up, daughter, young ones. We are going to teach you everything you need to know about courting."

* * *

"For you, my love." Kouga grinned as he dropped a freshly killed buck in front of her, catching her as she walked to the waterfall to clean her clothes. Kagome looked at the deer, it looked tasty, but her mother's words came back to her. This was Kouga trying to prove himself, and she had to make him work for it. She should never accept the first kill he brings her, as it showed she would settle for less than perfect. With that in mind, she turned her nose up and walked away.

Kouga grinned as he watched the young woman leave. So she was going to make him work for it, eh? Challenge accepted. He called Hakkaku over and ordered him to take the deer to the lower dens. They deserved fresh meat every once in a while. Then he vanished, disappearing into the forest again.

Kagome's eyes went wide as Kouga appeared before her not an hour later, dropping a dead bear at her feet. "I killed this for you, my sweet." he grinned at her, glad she was visibly impressed with the kill. He watched her as she walked around the carcass, looking it over. It was not an old or sickly bear, it was in its prime and healthy. She was, indeed, impressed. With a smile she approached her alpha and nuzzled under his chin in gratitude for the feast he had given her. Kouga smiled widely, she had accepted this gift. He looked around and noticed other women at the waterfall were also highly impressed, though they spoke nothing of it.

"Alpha, will you eat it with me?" Kagome asked now, still nuzzling his chin. She was so close to him and she could strongly smell his musky scent. She tried not to let it get to her but his low rumble of a growl let her know he smelled her tiny bit of arousal and was pleased by it.

"Not just that. I will prepare and cook it for you, my sweet." he smirked down at her. He rubbed his nose against hers in affection and then moved away from her, picking up his catch with ease. "Meet me at my den for dinner at sundown, koi." he called over his shoulder as he walked off, passing a group of males that looked at their leader carrying a freshly killed bear with awe.

Kagome hurried to her family's den after that, quickly telling her mother about the encounter. "Mother, he brought me a young, healthy bear." Kagome told her mother, still partly in awe of her alpha's strength and skill as a hunter.

"Oh, my... was that his first gift? There's no telling what he might bring you for a second one..."

"He brought a buck first, mother." Kagome assured her. "I refused it, and he brought me a bear instead. I couldn't say no to that. I mean, bears are so hard to kill..."

"You did the right thing, dear." Ayumi smiled. "You make your mate work for it, but don't hide it if you are truly impressed with him."

"He wants me to eat it with him tonight." Kagome told her now with a light blush. Ayumi just smiled.

"Wonderful. Bear takes a long time to cook properly, I assume he's taking care of that?" Kagome nodded at her mother's question. "If he gives you anything less than the best cuts of meat, refuse it." she reminded her daughter.

"But if he gives me the best cut of meat, I give him the best part of that cut?" Kagome asked, wanting to make sure she got it right. Courting an alpha was different than courting any other wolf. The alpha always got the best meat, no matter what. It was what he was owed for protecting the pack. But during courtships, the male was supposed to give his female the very best meats. It sort of contradicted the whole alpha getting the best meat thing.

"That's right. If he gives you the best meat, you give him the very best portion of that portion." Ayumi nodded. "But, and this is key... you are courting, so you get to eat first. Nevermind he is alpha. He wishes to mate you, and thus he wants you to eat first. Make sure you don't eat that best portion of meat on accident, darling." she warned her daughter.

"What happens if I do, mother?" Kagome asked.

"Well that's where the line between courting and pack hierarchy gets crossed. He will assert his dominance over a disrespectful female." Ayumi cautioned the young woman. Kagome just swallowed hard and nodded. No matter what, Kouga was her alpha, and she needed to respect him as such. The last thing she wanted was to be put in her place... roughly. That would, no doubt, end in her limping home to lick her wounds. She had no doubt Kouga would not hold back simply because she was his intended.

"Oh, I'm nervous, mother. I've never spent so much time alone with him." Kagome fidgeted now. She was not worried about accidentally eating the very best meat. The fear of being dominated by her alpha was enough to prevent that. But she was worried about being alone with him for an extended period of time. The rules of courting were strange to her, and she feared she might mess up.

"Don't worry so much, daughter. You are just going to enjoy a meal with your alpha. He wants to talk to you, enjoy your company." Ayumi dismissed her daughter's fears. "Now, go and get ready. Wear that cute pelt you made the other day. The black one." Kagome blushed and nodded, hurrying off to get ready for dinner. The sun was beginning to set, and she didn't want to be late.

Kouga smiled as the scent of lemongrass and lavender filled his nose. He looked up to see Kagome standing at the entrance to his den, waiting respectfully outside until he gave her permission to enter. He noticed she was wearing a new pelt. The black fur she wore looked good on her, and the design of the pelt exposed her toned belly to his sights. She looked ravaging. Were he a lesser demon she would be mated right there at the entrance to his den.

"Come in, Kagome. Let's eat." Kouga invited the shy woman in. She walked over to where he was sitting by a small fire, and she sat down next to her alpha, blushing lightly as he rubbed his cheek against hers, renewing his scent mark on her. He then stood and lifted up the lid of a pot that was over the fire. "I made us some bear stew, my love. But first..." He grabbed a bowl that had large chunks of raw meat in it. The meat came from the most tender part of the bear. He handed it to Kagome. "For you. Eat up, my koi." he said, nuzzling her temple quickly before sitting down to watch her eat. Kagome blushed. He'd set aside the most tender meat from the bear for her. She looked down into the bowl and quickly spotted a few pieces that looked even tastier than others. She would make sure not to eat those. She gave Kouga a smile and dug in, enjoying the savory meat as the juices filled her mouth. It was delicious, the best meat she'd ever tasted. It was almost difficult for her to leave the very best pieces alone...

When she was done eating everything but the very best she moved closer to Kouga until she was practically on his lap. She rubbed her head under his chin in both thanks for the meat and submission to her alpha. She then presented him with the remaining meat, smiling as he took the bowl and quickly finished off what she had left for him, all while she continued nuzzling his chin. Kagome blushed when he suddenly tilted her chin up and licked up the juices that had dribbled down her chin when she ate.

That quickly turned into a kiss that had Kagome melting in his arms.

* * *

Hi everyone! I'm so so sorry for the long wait. I feel so bad about it. But life has been bad to me lately. I had to move, had to start a new job that paid less, and then my fiance dumped me :(

But that's not fair to you guys and I'm so sorry. I even had this whole chapter written up but not checked for grammar and spelling yet, and it sat there in my Docs manager forever til it fell off and I lost it. So I had to rewrite it.

But now I'm back in the game and I'm already working on the next chapter! Yay!

Tell me what you think about this one, guys. And give me suggestions for future chapters. I always love seeing what people think I should do with my stories.

Thanks for reading!

-everythingnerd12


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Courting Pt. 2

Kagome watched with wide eyes and a fierce blush as the new couple consummated their mating before the adults of the pack. This was her first mating season as an adult, the first time she'd actually witnessed physical intimacy like this. She knew of these things but had never actually seen them, herself. And now she was gathered around the new couple with the rest of the adults as they celebrated a new union... and she couldn't help but think that that would be her and Kouga soon.

Mating in front of the pack was a very common practice, some might even consider it a tradition. Not everyone chose to do this, and recently more couples were mating in private, but every winter, just after the solstice, the mating 'season' began. It wasn't truly a season, so to speak, but rather a designated time when couples just tended to gravitate towards each other and choose to take mates. It wasn't even a heat, no that came in fall for all the couples who were already mated.

Kagome figured the mating season was just a product of happenstance. After all, it was just after the winter solstice, when young ones finished their trial and became considered adults by the pack... therefore able to take mates. It was in the dead of winter, so everyone was staying in dens more, for warmth. Very few families had their own private dens, like Kagome's family did. Most of the pack lived in communal dens, large caves with plenty of space for dozens of yokai. So all these yokai were clustered together, interacting more, and forming relationships from it. That, naturally, led to more mating.

When a pair of wolves decided to mate, they sought out Kouga for his blessing. Oftentimes, they would then arrange for a date to mate before the pack, if that's what they desired. Since it was considered tradition, many chose to do so, and especially higher ranking wolves chose that route. Lower level wolves tended to mate in private, or before family and friends, rather than before the entire adult pack.

Kagome knew one thing... when Kouga mated with her, it would be in front of the entire pack. He was the alpha, of course he had to stick with tradition and lay claim to his mate in front of everyone. Young ones - the older ones, anyways - would likely even attend, as it was a rare event when the alpha took a mate. Kagome blushed deeply as she thought about this. She was, perhaps, a bit more modest than the rest of the pack, especially when it came to something like this. But she would do what she had to do, what she was expected to do. If that meant mating before the whole pack, then, for Kouga, she would do it.

"I wonder if your face could any get redder, my sweet." Kouga's voice by her ear startled her out of her thoughts. She'd been too distracted by her mind to hear him come up behind her, and to add to that, the cheering and celebrating wolves were making it far too loud for her to hear properly. She quickly turned around to face her intended, unable to force away the redness from her cheeks as she was barely able to meet his eye. "This is your first time witnessing this level of intimacy, yes?" Kouga just smirked at her. She nodded timidly. "Don't worry, my Kagome. Everyone get's embarrassed the first time they see a public mating." he reached out a put a hand on top of her head in a soothing manner. Kagome relaxed a bit at hearing this. So she wasn't weird for being flustered at seeing this? Then how come everyone was acting so casually and even cheering the couple on? "You get used to it, after a while." Kouga seemed to know her thoughts, and answered her unspoken question. "And then it becomes pleasurable to witness. You'll notice, later, that many already mated and courting couples will be rutting tonight. Watching a mating riles them up."

"R-really?" Kagome asked with wide eyes. The adults found this arousing?

"It's called voyeurism, koi." Kouga chuckled, taking his hand from the top of her head to cup her cheek. He leaned down a bit, so that his face was mere inches away from hers. "It can be... very... pleasurable..." Kagome felt butterflies in her stomach at the heated look Kouga gave her now. He looked... hungry. No, hungry wasn't strong enough. He looked famished, like he was about to consume her then and there. And when he licked his lips and gave her a devious grin, Kagome felt sometime stir within her and she was unable to hold back the tiny whimper that escaped her. A couple of adults nearby heard and looked in their direction before chuckling at the scene of their alpha looming over his intended, who looked flustered, confused, and aroused all at once. The young one was being introduced to some very... _adult_ feelings, feelings she'd been unaware of her entire life until now.

The nearby observers just chuckled quietly in amusement, unheard by Kagome, who was trying to understand why she suddenly felt so hot. She couldn't pull her eyes away from Kouga's, and she could feel her heart starting to race. She could feel his body heat, he was so close, and his warm breath fanned across her lips. She remembered the kiss he gave her in his den, how it made her feel almost exactly like this. She wondered if he was going to kiss her again...

The sound of a loud howl suddenly filled the air, startling Kagome into looking away from Kouga. He, too, turned towards the howl, though he knew why someone was howling. It was the male that was claiming his mate, having finally reached his end. When his howl stopped, the female's started, raising in pitch suddenly when the male bit into her neck to mark her as his mate. The rest of the pack began to howl in celebration at the new union. Kagome only joined in when Kouga did, still finding herself very flustered at witnessing such an intimate moment. When the howling died down, the real celebration began. Drinks were passed around, songs were sang, dancing began, and Kagome ended up separated from Kouga for the night as she was dragged off to drink and dance. But she saw him here and there throughout the night, and he was always focused on her with that devious grin and those heated eyes that made her blush and her body heat up.

It wasn't until it was nearly morning that Kouga approached Kagome again. Most of the pack had dispersed, heading to their dens to either rut or sleep the alcohol off or both. Kagome would have gone to bed by now, had a group of young females not dragged her to dance and party for hours on end. Even her parents had already returned to their den, in fact had left the party early... likely to rut. Most mated couples had. The unmated ones simply continued partying, because who could refuse a good party?

Now Kagome was sitting with a group of females, inebriated and giggling drunkenly as the women talked about men and such. The focus shifted to her courtship with Kouga, and Kagome would have blushed had her cheeks not already turned pink from the alcohol. The questioning started off mild enough, and then the women began asking if they'd done anything fun yet. Kagome looked confused, so they clarified that by fun they meant 'wink, wink, nudge, nudge, the big-o' kind of fun. The kind of fun they were celebrating tonight. Kagome nearly passed out in sheer embarrassment. Kouga chuckled and decided it was time to save his intended from dying of embarrassment.

"Kagome, let me escort you to your den." Kouga stepped forward, interrupting the conversation. The women all looked up at him with amused grins, some of them still giggling at poor Kagome. Kagome, too mortified to form words, mutely nodded and hurried to her feet, stumbling a bit as the world began to spin. Kouga just shook his head with an amused grin as he slid an arm around her waist and held her up. "Don't fret, koi, you'll build your alcohol tolerance up eventually." He chuckled at his drunk woman. "Let's get you home." He began to walk her home, still wearing that amused grin of his. He'd hoped he could have sneaked away with her earlier that night to show her pleasures she never knew existed, but alas, she'd been dragged away from him. Now she was drunk out her mind, and being the honorable demon he was, he wouldn't touch her in this state. Still, he was amused by her behavior tonight. She was learning what it meant to be an adult in the pack. It would be a good while before she was truly an adult, despite being considered one among the pack, but she had time to learn and Kouga had the patience of a saint. He'd waited twelve years for her. What's a bit more?

* * *

OH. MY. GOSH! It's been OVER A YEAR since I updated this. I am SO SORRY!

I have my reasons for disappearing on this story. For one, I've been focused on a Fairy Tail story while I tried to recover from writer's block on this story and another one. For another, you wouldn't believe the shit I've been through this past year. Hell, I could write a book on it, and it would be as thick as my head. (Probably not, but you get the point)

Short version: Dumped by ex (who I almost married), decided to go to college again, went to college, met friend, became best friends, moved into apartment with said best friend, friend betrayed me, illegally kicked out of said apartment by said friend, lost a LOT of money, got REALLY sick, moved into a dorm with $5 to my name, got sick again, and finally here were are. I'm on the road to recovery, my wallet and credit score are not quite there yet but soon will be, lost a best friend, but hey I get to go to Japan next year so that's a plus.

Anyways, once again, I am so sorry for disappearing on this story. I will try to put up more updates soon but work and school are taking up a lot of time right now. Still, I promise to try!

Thanks for reading and sticking with me!

-Everythingnerd12


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